The Devil May Cry
by Fairycoordinator
Summary: MAFIA AU- Percy Jackson lives as normal a life as one can, until one day the mysterious "Company" contacts him under strange circumstances. Before he knows it, he is whisked into a whirlwind of crime, drugs, and big money. His troubles really begin, however, when he is assigned a dangerous mission- to kidnap Nico DiAngelo, of rival gang Blue Opal. percico, pipabeth, frazel
1. Comfortably Numb

**Percy Jackson: New Recruit **

**Annabeth Chase: Head of Illegal Investments/Money Laundering **

**Jason Grace: Head of Information**

**Piper McLean: Head of Prostitution**

**Thalia Grace: Upper Management**

**Reyna Ramirez: Head of Relations**

**Will Solace: Head of Logistics**

**Hazel Levesque: Hitman, Recon Specialist**

**Frank Zhang: Hitman, Martial Arts Specialist**

**Leo Valdez: Head of Trafficking**

**Luke Castellan: The Boss**

**Grover Underwood: Head of Technology**

**Nico DiAngelo: ?**

**Welcome to... The Company. **

* * *

There was not much to life.

It was something cyclic, something like an old television recording pressed replay too many times. It was the same thing every day, and the things that were hated and resented and that never ever changed.

To Percy, it was all the same.

Every day he woke up at the same time, ate the same breakfast and took the same rushing train to get to work ten minutes early, no more, no less. At his cubicle he would type and enter in data and type some more, until his fingers and wrists ached a little, and a little more each time. Eat lunch in the break room. Talk about the weather and sports, neither of which he really cared about. Go home again, watch television, fall asleep. Watch the circles grow under his eyes.

Again and again.

Percy didn't think much of it. He didn't think much of anything, to be honest. Nothing good ever came out of thinking too much. Besides, if he ever did have time to reflect on what he was doing with his life, it only made him feel meaningless. Comfortably numb was how he preferred it, and he was perfectly content to believe that this was all there was.

Repetition. Look how many other people lived the same way. Look how many other people sat at their desks in their cubicles with a cup of lukewarm coffee staining the wood grains, look how many other people in middle grade suits sat next to him on the train and looked just like him. Percy felt like he was one among a million, a billion. Like he wasn't himself.

But then again, he didn't think too much.

And today was just one of those days. And by that, he meant any other day.

He sat in the terminal waiting for his train, watching the numbers and the letters flash by on the schedule screen. Maybe it was just him, but the train seemed late today. He didn't like _late. _Public transit was supposed to be on time. If he got to work late, his whole day would be messed up, and that was the last thing he wanted. But for some reason today he didn't care that much. At least it would be different.

He tapped his foot, the sound was lost in the clatter around him. He checked his watch. There was no ticks, but he was imagining he could hear them when

The train zipped past screaming on the rails and for a moment, just for an instant, he could see to the other side of the tracks between the cars.

Someone stood there, their hair blown across their face and their hands clenched at their sides. Someone that, in that millisecond, was looking right at Percy.

But by the time the train had gone the figure had disappeared.

It was like they had evaporated, dried up from the hot air blowing up from the rails. Where Percy had been positive he had seen the person, there was now nobody. Maybe his eyes had been playing tricks on him. Yeah, that was it.

Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that the person was still in the terminal somewhere, and that he was _watching. _

His train finally arrived, and Percy pushed the thought aside. It was ridiculous.

But it bothered him throughout the train ride and as half walked, half jogged up the terminal stairs onto the street above, as he went through the rotating doors and down the hallways alone. Someone was watching him. He could feel it like a breath to the back of his neck, like a too long shadow. The more he tried to ignore it, the more prominent it became.

He was distracted all through work. His fingers seemed slower than usual on the keys and more flighty; and he kept looking back like he was expecting some monster to all the sudden show itself. But nothing ever did. No, it was just a regular day at work. Then why did it feel so _weird? _

He rushed through the day until it was finally time to leave. As he gathered his things, for some ridiculous reason he felt scared. What was he scared of? There was nothing there. Absolutely nothing.

If it was even possible he felt like the surveillance had increased on his way home. He looked to the left, right, over his shoulder, behind, in front, but could not pinpoint any one person that was trailing him, much less catch a glimpse of the person on the other side of the morning train tracks. Somehow he felt that it was that it had all started with that guy, as illogical as that was. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had been staring straight at him. Like he had marked him for something.

He got to his apartment, and began to walk down the long hall to his room.

He heard footsteps behind him.

He couldn't look back, even though it could have just been another tenant or a maid or something like that, and his heartbeat and his steps got faster. One foot over the other, keep moving, keep going. The footsteps behind him got faster too, how fast would they have to get before they caught up with him?

Percy broke into a run, not stopping until he had jammed the keys in the lock and wrenched the door open and now stood panting against it. He was safe. Also he was quite possibly going insane.

About a minute later he gathered up the courage to look through the peephole.

There was no one there.

He grabbed a broom from the closet just in case, and creaked open the door. Looked both ways.

There was no one there.

In fact it seemed overly silent.

* * *

The next morning Percy had dismissed yesterday's paranoia as a result of not enough sleep.

Today was going to be perfectly normal. He didn't see anyone in the hall or on the train or in the streets, there was no one looking over his shoulder. Everything was fine, see. Perfectly normal.

That is, until he got to work.

He was called into his boss' office almost as soon as he put his briefcase down; he sat down in the chair across from the man's desk as a piece of paper was slid over the table.

"What's this?" Percy asked.

"You have a job offer," said his boss.

Percy looked at the letter. It was nearly blank, just a few lines of text and a fancy letterhead.

"What is it?"

"I'm not sure. But you're taking it."

"What? Why?"

"Let's just say…I don't know who these people are, but they've offered me quite a large amount of money if I let you go. So I'd consider it."

"But-"

"If you don't take the offer now, you're fired," said his boss, simply, sitting back in his chair. "They're giving me the money for letting you go. Not for you taking the job."

"You can't do this!" said Percy, rising out of his chair, voice rising along with him. "You don't even know who these people are! You can't just take a bribe and fire me!"

The boss sighed. "Look. You're a temp. Besides, if they've giving me this much money just for poking you in the right direction, then imagine how much _you'll _get paid."

Percy was silent.

"I looked up their website. They're some big investment bank, headquarters just south of here. Whoever they are, they want you."

"But why?"

There was no reason Percy could think of that would make him an attractive candidate to an outside office. He did his work, sure, did it fine, but no where near above average and certainly not worthy of special attention. He was afraid to ask how much money was on the table, but that prospect certainly enthralled him. He needed money. He always did.

"How would I know?" said the boss. "The letter just says they're offering you a job. There's meeting information inside there." He pushed the letter over to Percy, who took it with unsure hands.

"So I'm fired?" he asked, not even believing it. This was so _weird. _

"If you refuse to leave, yes."

Percy didn't know what made him say it, but in that moment he made a decision that would send his life in a completely opposite direction.

"No, I'll take it. I'll take the new job."

"Attaboy," said his boss, lips curving into a smile. He just wanted the money. Didn't they all, when it came down to it?

Percy felt numb as he cleared out his cubicle, packed all his things into a cardboard box. There wasn't much, a couple of time wasters and office supplies, but that was about it. He drove home on the train, the box in his lap, and tried not to panic.

What was he doing? This was crazy. He had just left his job, almost been fired, and he had thought it was a good idea? And now he had agreed to take this job, doing who knows what, in some weird company that got up to who knew what. This could ruin his life. Maybe he already had. What would his parents say?

Nothing, because he wasn't going to tell them. He wasn't going to tell anyone. He didn't have many friends, no real ones, anyway, but he wasn't going to tell them either. Just in case this all turned out to be a disaster.

But a small part of him felt accomplished.

He had actually done something for once. He had made a conscious choice, and individual one. He was different.

He kind of liked it.

* * *

The building was huge, one of the largest he had seen in his life. The skyscraper seemed to rise an infinite amount of stories, its windows gleaming in the sun.

Many people came in and out of the large doors, and Percy stood on the sidewalk, wondering just what he had gotten himself into.

Inside was even nicer, if that was even possible. It looked like some kind of fancy, modern hotel, the walls completely white and the floor completely spotless. Percy felt out of place. He had never been somewhere that gave him such a profound sense of _wealth, _and to be honest, it was putting him on edge.

He walked up nervously to the reception desk, where the pretty girl behind the counter referred him to someone called Ms. Ramirez.

He thanked her and headed up the elevator, creeping along slowly to the tenth, twentieth, thirtieth, finally the thirty seventh floor.

It felt like he was walking to his death, for some reason; his hand froze on the knob of the office door and he paused. What was he so scared of? This was nothing, nothing at all. Yeah, maybe he was out of his depth, but this was nothing more than that.

He finally mustered up the courage to go through the door, and he was met with floor to ceiling windows, showing the city from all sides. The floor was polished and gleaming, the furniture the same. Percy's own apartment would fit inside the space three times over.

And in the center, seated at a simple desk, was a man who Percy assumed was Mr. Hong.

"You can come sit down," the woman said, and her voice sounded soft and gentle, cool and mild.

Percy nodded in thanks and moved to sit down carefully, not wanting to damage anything. He slid his resume over the desktop, hoping that he hadn't messed up _too _badly already.

The woman took it with long fingers, manicured nails, and smiled; as if Percy was a small child she was trying to humor.

"Percy Jackson, welcome."

"Thanks for inviting me here, Ms. Ramirez."

"No need for the formalities! You can call me Reyna" said the woman She smiled, and Percy was taken aback at how genuine it seemed. Comforting.

He looked at her. Reyna. Her face was almost impeccable; perfect dark skin and eyes like a cat, she looked severe and beautiful all at once. It was funny how once she stopped smiling her face showed no emotion whatsoever. She was a blank canvas. Almost a little too perfect.

But when she did smile, it felt good. So Percy eased up a little.

"So, um, Reyna." It felt weird being so familiar. "I'm confused as to… as to everything, really."

"I totally understand that," said Reyna, leaning forward. "It must all feel kind of crazy, the job offer out of nowhere, right?"

"Right!" said Percy, relieved that he was not the only crazy one. "How did you even find me?"

"There was a surplus of workers at your old residence," Reyna explained, smoothly. "You had one of the least seniority. We needed a worker here, and we found you qualified."

Percy frowned. "My boss didn't mention any of that."

"Well, that's because it's supposed to be confidential information. But I'm just telling you because I think you should know."

"Oh. Thanks. But what exactly is this job? I don't actually have much experience in investment banking…"

"There's no need to worry about that." Reyna waved him away. "This job is simple. Can you follow directions well?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. Then that's all you need to do. This job has a lot of variety. You'll be reporting to your superiors, who'll give you tasks. You complete them. Easy enough, right?"

"What kind of tasks?"

"Day to day things. Things that need to be done."

Reyna sat there, hands folded, and smiled.

It was almost infuriating, the lack of information he was getting out of this woman. But Percy could tell just by looking at him that he wasn't going to get anything else out of her, no, this was a woman who was not one to back down. Reyna held all the cards in her hands, and Percy held none.

They stood looking at each other, Percy feeling more anxious every second.

"Can I know what my daily schedule might look like?"

"Didn't I just tell you?" said Reyna, cocking her head like Percy had asked a ridiculous question, but he was too much of a gentleman to laugh.

"I don't know about this…" Percy stammered. "This job doesn't seem like something… something I'd be interested in."

"What _are _you interested in, Percy?"

"What do you mean?"

"You heard me the first time."

Percy scoffed, before realizing that his brain was coming up with nothing. What _was _he interested in? Try as he might, he could think of nothing. There wasn't one thing he liked to do, put passion into, truly. It scared him a little. He tried not to let Reyna see, but his pause had been a little too long.

"That's what I thought."

"You don't know me," said Percy, a little angry now. More than a little unsettled.

"I know you enough," said Reyna softly, and her eyes were piercing. "I know you're bored."

Percy was about to retort, but fell silent.

He was bored. Life was boring. And sometimes it killed him, but… how did this woman know all that? Perspective, sure, but Percy couldn't help feel like it was something more. His mind flashed to two days before, the uncanny sense he was being _followed, _and his stomach lurched.

"This will give your life new meaning. Trust me."

Percy looked Reyna straight in the eyes, as difficult as it was. It did not appear that she was lying, but given how uneasy Percy was it was all too easy to think twice. But her face seemed so sincere that Percy couldn't help but gravitate towards her, rationalize things for himself. He couldn't help but think that maybe this woman was right, that this was crazy but it would be oh so worth it, because soon Percy would be _living. _Actually living, and not just surviving.

That was what he wanted more than anything else.

But he thought back to the figure at the train station, the figure who had turned invisible when given a second glance. The figure that had followed him, who Percy couldn't help but feel like he could see right through him.

"I don't think so," he said firmly, trying to make up his mind.

Reyna almost frowned, before making her face once again emotionless.

"I see."

She reached under his desk and extracted a large manila envelope. She handed it to Percy, who took it warily.

"Open it."

Percy did, and could feel rough paper underneath his fingers. Was this-

"Take it out."

He complied, and more hundred dollar bills than he could count flooded onto the desktop, spilling off the edge.

"Does that help?" Reyna asked.

Percy stared at the money. With all this...why, he'd be set. His rent, which he'd been worried about, student loans, his parents, if he was paid like this, then anything was possible. He needed money. Bad. He didn't have a job anymore, and his rent and utilities were due next week, he realized. But if he took this job...and this money… then he wouldn't have to worry about that.

_This will give your life new meaning. _

"I'll do it," he blurted out. "I'll take the job."

"Good," said Reyna. "I knew you would. You start tomorrow, the secretary will tell you where to go again. Eight o'clock sharp. Understand?"

"Yes sir. Thank you."

As she turned to leave, Reyna spoke one last time.

"I forgot to mention."

"Yes?"

"We take this job very seriously. If you don't perform, you will be cut. So it is very, very important that you live up to our expectations."

"Yes,ma'am."

"I'm glad you understand. I'll be seeing you soon."

Percy left the office, the woman's words ringing through his ears.

He couldn't sleep that night.

What had he done? This was crazy. This was _insane. _

But at the same time, he couldn't help but feel excited.

He had an odd feeling, something that he couldn't quite describe.

Something big was about to happen to him. Something life changing. He just didn't know what.


	2. High Fashion

The building looked intimidating as Percy gazed up at it, the rows of windows going up and up until he could tilt his head back no farther.

He clutched his briefcase; which was nearly empty. After all, he still had no idea what he was expected, much less required, to do here. Reyna had told him to report to the front desk, and that was about it. No further discussion. Rather, the further discussion was in an envelope hidden in Percy's closet. And that had apparently been enough.

He took a deep breath and entered through the glass doors, wondering if this had been a mistake. What could possibly be so special about an office desk job that would give his life "new meaning"? But on second thought, Reyna had said that the job would include _variety. _What kind of variety? There were so many questions Percy had, and none of them were answered.

Luckily, the lady behind the desk seemed to expect him.

"Wear this," she said, and handed him a small pin in the shape of a diamond.

"What is it?" Percy asked as he pinned in onto his lapel.

"Identification," she said simply, and left it at that. Percy couldn't help but feel like he had been marked for something. "Go to the twelfth floor and ask for Will Solace."

_Will Solace. _Percy nodded and headed to the elevator, trying to remember the name. It wasn't very hard, it being so unusual. He wondered if he'd see Reyna, but the lady at the desk had said nothing about her this time around. All he had seen was a plaque amongst many behind the desk, listing Reyna Alvarez as a practicing attorney. So the woman was a lawyer. Maybe that was why she was good with words. Percy assumed she must work directly for the company, privately, or something along those lines.

The twelfth floor was filled with computers. There were no cubicles, but instead rows and rows of desktops, laptops, and technology that Percy could not immediately recognize. People typed like they were crazy, their fingers flying over the keyboards. Percy didn't even know where to begin, he was so overwhelmed. He stood there for a moment staring at all the madness, wondering how on earth he would fit in.

"Can I help you?"

Percy jumped. The voice had come out of nowhere.

Standing next to him was a boy with a mop of blond curls and the kind of face you'd see in a teen surfer movie, looking like he was more suited to be wearing swim trunks than business casual. Business casual was a stretch, actually, the kid looked like he had just come back from a walk in the park.

"Oh yeah, I'm looking for Will Solace. Can you help me find him?"

"You're speaking to him."

Percy had honestly thought Will had been an intern, so he couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm sorry," he said hastily, hoping he hadn't just offended his higher up on the first day of the job.

"It's fine," said the boy, shrugging and smiling. "I know I look young. I'm eighteen."

Percy mused, looking around the compound.

"There are special cases," Will responded, clapping his hands together. "So! Ready for your first task?"

Percy nodded, slightly taken aback at Will's enthusiasm. Not that it wasn't nice. It put him more at ease, and to be honest, he could really use that right now. Everyone in the building seemed way too serious. And Reyna was just plain creepy, if he was telling the truth.

"Follow me."

Percy followed Will to a back room, which also served as his office. It was very noticeably smaller and shabbier than Reyna's, barely more room than a walk in closet. He saw Will eye the pin on his chest before withdrawing a file from a cabinet, flipping it open and reading from a paper.

"Are you familiar with Piper McLean?" Will asked, looking at Percy like he was about ready to disclose some good news or some particularly juicy gossip.

They name did sound familiar, Percy had to admit. But he just couldn't place it… was she a sports star? An actress? He had no idea at all.

"Um…"

"You don't know Piper McLean?" Will gasped. "The super model? That famous GQ cover?"

"I'm sorry," admitted Percy.

Will sighed, shaking his head and pulling out a picture from the file cabinet. "Does this ring a bell?"

He slapped the photo onto the desk, and Percy leaned over to look at it. Come to think of it, he did recognize the woman pictured, just not by name.

"Oh yeah! I know her!"

"I should think so," Will grumbled. Percy thought that if the boy's hair was longer, he might have flipped it.

"So...what does Piper McLean have to do with me?"

"You're going to pick her up."

"What?" Percy stammered. "You want _me _to ask out a model?"

"No!" Will said, throwing up his hands. "You're going to be a handful, aren't you?"

"Just tell me what to do," Percy said, embarrassed but annoyed all the same. Maybe he wasn't experienced, but he wasn't _stupid. _He felt like everyone he had met so far looked down on him, whether they meant to or not. It made him feel determined. To do what, he didn't know. Maybe to prove everyone wrong?

"I'm sorry," Will said, smiling apologetically. "I know this job can be confusing. I've been in your shoes, trust me. I haven't been here long, compared to most people."

Percy wanted to ask him more about that, but Will moved on.

"You're going to pick her up, as in with a car. You'll go to her runway show, wait it out, and when it's done, you can go to the backstage area and meet with her and her assistant. Then you'll drive them both back here. That sound easy enough?"

"Yeah," Percy said. "But what connection do you guys have with Piper McLean? I thought this was an investment bank."

"We're many things," Will supplied, looking thoughtful. "I'm sure you can ask her more about it when you meet her."

"I'm allowed to talk with her? She's a celebrity."

"Trust me," Will said. "You guys work together now. It'll be fine."

Percy nodded, but he couldn't shake the feeling of how _odd _this was. He was going to pick up a famous person, a model, for an investment bank. On his first day of the job. What was this place, even?

He tried to tell himself he wasn't intrigued, but he was.

"But before you go," Will said, rising from his chair. "We're going to have to do something about _that._"

He took a wagging finger and pointed at Percy's chest. Will raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

"What you're wearing. You're going to fashion week, not your sister's graduation. That suit is…"

"I get it, I get it," Percy said hurriedly. "So I'm not the best dressed. I didn't know I'd be dealing with supermodels when I came here today."

"Right," said Will, circling around Percy's chair, one hand on his chin. "I think I have just the thing for you."

"Do you...usually give people fashion advice?" Percy asked, eyeing him nervously.

"It's not my job," Will admitted, shrugging his shoulders. "But I can't help it. Whenever clothes need to be chosen, I'm always the one does it! Just being honest, I think I have the best taste here."

Percy looked at Will's wrinkled tshirt suspiciously.

"Don't judge," Will pouted. "I'm just a tech worker. I have no need to dress up."

Percy doubted that Will was _just a tech worker, _considering that he seemed to have a good amount of power. At least, he assumed that given that he had been assigned to report to Will. Plus, Will gave off the air like he was an insider, someone who knew the in and outs of the company. Percy couldn't see any of the robotic computer workers outside the door having this type of know-how.

"Anyway, Percy, come on. Follow me."

Percy followed Will out of the office and into the elevator, which took them to a higher floor, the hall was carpeted in dark red. Will extracted a key from a large jumble in his bag and unlocked the door of what could only be described as the largest, not to mention nicest, closet Percy had ever seen in his life.

"_Woah," _he breathed.

"Impressive, right?" Will said cheerfully, walking among rows of suits, dresses, cashmere sweaters and street clothes.

"Why do you even have all this stuff?" Percy prodded. This whole building was like a fun house. He never knew what to expect next.

"You know, you ask too many questions. We have this stuff for assignments like yours," Will said dismissively. "Now.. let me take your measurements."

He extracted a tape measure from the shelf and measured Percy up and down, while he stood there like a scarecrow, uncomfortable. He wasn't used to stuff like this. Not to mention he wasn't used to someone being so close to him; Will seemed to be a touchy person besides. He was a little relieved when Will disappeared somewhere down the line of clothes, talking absentmindedly to himself. At least he was less scary than Reyna. Actually, Percy kind of liked him. He seemed...well, like a normal guy, if not a bit eccentric. Percy could deal with that.

Will came back, shoving a pile of clothes in Percy's arms and shoving him into a dressing room.

Percy dressed slowly, not wanting to damage the clothing, which he was sure cost more than his own net worth. When he was done, he looked at himself in the mirror.

He didn't think he'd ever have worn a pinstriped suit jacket, but somehow he kind of liked it. It made him look professional. And also kind of strong, the sleeves fit him much better than the sagging shoulders on his usual grey business suit. He wished he could keep the clothes. He wasn't sure where he'd ever wear them again, but just to have them.

"Did anyone ever tell you you're good looking?" Will asked when he emerged, straightening Percy's collar for him.

"Not really," Percy said. It was true. He'd never been much for dating.

"Well, you are," Will said. "You're not my type, though, don't worry."

Percy ran that over his head a couple of times before deciding just to laugh awkwardly. Will affixed the diamond pin to the new jacket, stepping back to admire his handiwork.

"There, you're all good," he said, looking Percy up and down. "Just act professional. You're representing the company, after all."

He handed him a card, sort of like an ID.

"If you need clearance for anything, just show them this."

Percy looked at the card. It was pretty plain, just said _The Company _in gold letters with a barcode in the bottom right hand corner. He looked back at Will, skeptical.

"Trust me."

"Alright."

Will looked at his watch. "You'd better go."

Percy was given the rest of the information and escorted to the garage, where his eyes almost popped out of his head.

"You can pick whichever one you want," Will said, "I'll get you the keys."

Never before had Percy seen so many expensive cars in one location.

What _was _this place?

"I'll.., I guess I'll take the Maserati. The black one."

"Good choice," Will said, like it was perfectly normal.

Once Will had left him to his own devices, Percy circled around the car, skimming his fingers over the smooth surface and hardly daring to breathe. This whole place, the suits, the building, the cars, everything simply screamed luxury. Percy knew that investment banking was profitable, but still, he found this kind of wealth to be unbelievable. Could he too, be like these people? Have these things for himself? It was a tempting thought.

He forced himself to snap out of it. He had a job to do, and he was not going to mess up on his very first day.

He almost cried when he steered the car out, it drove so _smoothly. _

_Pull it together, _he told himself, but he was giddy with excitement. Who would've thought that boring old average Percy Jackson would be here, driving sports cars and wearing expensive designer brands, with a fat wad of money at home? It made his head spin. It was almost too much to take in.

He reached the gallery with time to spare, well dressed people swarming around the entrance. He stepped into the queue, only to realize once he was near the front that he _had no ticket. _

"Next," called the ticket taker.

What was he going to do? Percy stepped forward nervously, inwardly panicking.

"Ticket?" the man asked.

"Um…"

"You need a ticket to get inside, sir," the man said impatiently, and the people behind him in line grumbled.

"I'm here to pick up Piper McLean and her assistant?" Percy offered, hopelessly. Where had all his confidence gone?

The ticket taker scoffed. "I'm going to have to ask you to move out of the way."

"Wait!" Percy begged, suddenly remembering something. He pulled out the card that Will had given him, _The Company, _and brandished it in front of the man's face_. _"I have this!"

The man's eyes widened, and his tone changed.

"Of course, sir. Do you mind waiting just a moment? We'll have someone down here to escort you to your seat in no time."

"That's fine," Percy said, bewildered. He stepped aside, turning the card over and over in his hands.

A pretty lady dressed in black took him to his seat, which happened to be in the front row, barely ten feet away from the white runway. He clenched a program in his sweaty hands. _Featured model: Piper McLean._

He felt out of his element. He had never been to such a classy event before, much less fashion week. Everyone around him looked well dressed, interesting, and respectable. He wondered if they could see through him. Did they know he was just an imposter? He sure felt like one.

The show started, and Percy had to admit it wasn't his thing. Not being very fashion forward himself, hours of clothes marching past on model clones seemed of low importance. He started yawning half way through, but he forced himself to stay awake. He had to look respectable, after all. He was representing a company. And apparently a very important one, too.

The show dragged on, until a collective intake of breath broke Percy out of his stupor.

Piper McLean finally walked down the runway.

She definitely stood out from the other models, Percy thought, sitting up a little straighter in his seat. She was golden tan while they were pale, shoulders pushed back where the others appeared drawn in. She was tall however, like the others, maybe shy of six feet, and lean. She was effortlessly good looking; it was clear how she had gotten his job. She walked down the runway like she owned it.

Percy wondered what the hell someone like this had to do with an investment bank.

And soon enough it was over, and Piper stood smiling on stage next to the designer, a giant bouquet of flowers in her arms. Percy stood up and clapped with the audience, who seemed to regard Piper as some sort of genius. It intimidated Percy, to be honest. He was going to have to meet this chick. What would they even talk about? How could they even compare each other?

He lingered as the audience mingled and eventually filed out of the space, making his way slowly to the door near the stage where the models and VIPs had disappeared into.

Again, he had only to flash his card to be granted full access.

Backstage was chaos. Models were undressing right before his eyes, people with headsets rushed around, groups talked and congratulated each other and exchanged business cards. Percy wasn't quite sure how he should approach this. The only option was to find Piper, but he didn't want to intrude on her business. He decided just to wander around until he thought of a better idea or saw Piper looking for a driver. God, he was so bad at this already. But he could not fail now.

It worked for all of five seconds before he crashed into someone, sending the woman sprawling to the ground, along with his clipboard and glasses.

"I'm so sorry," Percy stuttered, reaching down to help the woman up. "Ma'am," he added, just in case.

The woman reached for her round glasses, hands fumbling on the ground where they had fallen. Once he had fitted them on her face she looked at Percy almost angrily, before her eyes seemed to flick down to the diamond on his chest. Her expression softened, but her pupils still looked sharp, like glass.

"Are you with the Company?" the woman asked, not even acknowledging the spill. She did not accept Percy's waiting hand, but grabbed his clipboard and rose quickly to her feet.

"Yes," said Percy, nervously.

He didn't know how to describe it, but the woman seemed dangerous. It didn't matter that her glasses were wire framed or that she was painfully thin or that her sweater sleeves fell over her hands. She seemed to have something inside herself, something hazardous that made Percy want to go on high alert. Instinctively.

"You must be the… driver, then," the woman said. "Percy Jackson?"

"That's me."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Piper McLean's assistant, Annabeth Chase." She reached out to shake Percy's hand, and he took it. "I'm not sure if anyone told you about me."

"They did," said Percy. "Well, not specifically."

Annabeth laughed. "I'm always second best to Piper. That's okay, that's why I'm her assistant. Follow me, she should be just about finished."

Percy agreed, following the woman through the weaving crowd, past the rows of mirror and makeup assistants, the racks of clothing. She seemed almost to disappear among them.

Piper was near the back, her space covered by a gigantic mound of flowers, like her own personal garden. She was in street clothes by now, just a sweatshirt and jeans, but she looked no less professional, somehow.

"Piper!" Annabeth called as they got closer. "Let's get going!"

Piper jumped, almost falling out of her chair. She stood up shakily, smiling and waving almost bashfully, and Percy revised his first impression of the girl. Maybe she wasn't as perfect as she looked.

Annabeth laughed. "This is why she has me to take care of her. She's kind of hopeless."

Percy couldn't help but notice how her eyes had changed, had become warmer, more human. Piper smiled back at Annabeth.

"You got your stuff?"

"Yeah, just a minute. I don't know what to do with all these flowers."

"That's what he's here for," said Annabeth, pointing to Percy.

Piper glanced at Annabeth, like she was confirming something. "Oh, you're new, aren't you? Percy, right? Hi! I'm Piper McLean."

"He knows, idiot," said Annabeth. "Now hurry. We have a schedule to attend to."

"I don't want to make him carry all this stuff, though," Piper whined, but Annabeth grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the table, towards the exit.

"That's what his job is," said Annabeth. "Come on, get your coat."

"I don't mind, really," Percy said, slightly embarrassed. It was like the two of them were in their own little world. He listened to them bicker as he scooped up the mountain of flowers the best he could and followed them out the side exit, staggering a little.

He wondered if they directly worked with Will, or even Reyna. They all seemed so different from one another.

Luckily they managed to avoid any cameras or paparazzi or things like that which Annabeth said they usually encountered. Once they managed to shove the flowers in the trunk they were on their way. To be honest, Percy was glad. It was too hectic at the fashion show, too foreign. Piper and Annabeth sat in the back seat; every once in awhile Percy glanced back at them in the mirror. It was odd, as similar as they sometimes looked, they also seemed to be complete opposites. Annabeth was pale and almost sickly blonde, her eyebrows drawn inward. Whereas Piper was golden and healthy, the smile never quite leaving her face. Percy wondered how they had become friends.

"I see you chose the Maserati," said Piper once they had hit the freeway. "You have good taste."

"Thanks," said Percy hesitantly, still not entirely sure whether he was allowed to talk with these people.

"It's okay, we can have a conversation," said Annabeth. "We won't bite. We all work for the same company now, anyway."

"Sorry," Percy said. He had to stop apologizing for everything. "But… if you don't mind me asking, how do you work for the company? Isn't it an investment bank? Will told me to ask you."

Again, Piper and Annabeth exchanged glances. Piper opened her mouth to say something, but Annabeth gave her a warning look.

"Piper is sponsored by the Company," he said. "You know, her brand. Her contract is wrapped up with them, so we do negotiations. And I'm her assistant, so I'm part of that too."

That didn't make much sense to Percy, but he decided just to let it slide. "So is that why I'm taking you back there?"

"Well," Annabeth said slowly. "We actually live on the property."

"Both of you?" said Percy incredulously. "You both live in the tower?"

"There are residential floors," offered Piper. "Luke was nice enough to let us move in after we joined."

"Luke?"

"The boss," Piper said.

"And when did you guys get involved in the company?"

"A few years back."

"How? It seems like everyone I've met so far is-"

"You ask a lot of questions," Annabeth said unhappily.

"Don't mind her!" Piper said, punching Annabeth on the shoulder. "She's always in a bad mood. You'll get used to it."

"I am not," said Annabeth, shoving Piper back. "Well, since you're so curious, Percy, I think I am too. What about you? Tell me about yourself."

Percy paused. Annabeth stared at him in the rearview mirror, her eyes piercing.

"There isn't much to know," he said. "I got offered a job here out of the blue, and now I don't know what the heck I'm doing or what on earth this place is."

"But what about before that?" asked Piper. "What were you like before you joined?"

The way he said it was off putting, as if there was no _before. _

"I have a pretty boring life," Percy admitted, wishing he could say something else.

"But what's your story?"

"I… don't really have one."

Annabeth laughed, reaching over to rest her elbow on Piper's shoulder.

"Don't worry. Soon you will."


	3. Mission 1

**Alright guys, this is your last warning cause it's about to get real MA up in this bitch. This chapter contains drug use. Don't do drugs. Peace**

* * *

Percy had been doing odd jobs for a while now.

After the initial fashion show run, he had also gotten sandwiches, typed up papers, dropped weird packages off at weird buildings, and almost busted the copy machine.

Despite all this being seemingly normal, something was off.

Percy didn't know what or why, but he had this sense that all was not as it seemed at the Company. Sure, all the offices ran like any other in the business district, and the company was on all accounts legitimate. But all the people Percy had to report to so far seemed like they had nothing to do with the investment bank, oddly enough. It was as if they merely acknowledged its presence, but were not involved in its inner workings. Sometimes Percy felt as if there were two companies instead of one. He wasn't sure which he was working for.

A lot of things just didn't add up. Percy took explanations with a smile, but inwardly he wondered how it was possible that these things even came to be. For example, what did Piper McLean have to do with the company? Sure, they said she was sponsored, but what kind of bank endorsed supermodels? And the fact also that Piper and her assistant lived within the building… was kind of odd. Not only them, but Will and Reyna were also permanent residents.

There were a lot of things.

Percy was curious, but he bided his time in the hope that maybe someone would come out and tell him what was wrong. If not, he'd just have to figure it out himself. Admittedly, he kind of liked the challenge.

But maybe he was making things up.

Or maybe not.

When he brought Reyna her coffee that morning, she told Percy to sit down.

Reyna folded her hands on top of her desk, like she had many times before, and smiled. It was becoming more unsettling every time.

"So, today you have a very special assignment," she told Percy, smiling like a cat.

"Oh?"

"The order comes directly from Luke," Reyna added. "Thus, it is imperative that you perform well."

Percy had heard of Luke Castellan plenty of times. His name was almost spoken with reverence, some kind of awe, like he was a god. The CEO? Somehow no one referred to him as such, only as the "boss" or the "leader" or the "head." He was the company, and yet he was not listed as the chief executive officer. Percy had looked it up one day, the actual CEO was someone named Thalia Grace. But yet everyone seemed to regard Luke as the final word. Despite all this talk Percy had never been able to find any actual information on who he _was. _

And now he had a task directly from him. So he knew that Percy existed, and had consciously chosen him to do something. It was almost surreal, like confirmation that Luke himself existed. Like he wasn't just some shadowy figure somewhere on the top floors, watching over.

The thought was oddly terrifying.

"This is your final part time job," Reyna continued. "If you complete it successfully, then you can join the team full time. Full benefits. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine."

"Are you sure? If you become a full time member, you'll be expected to move in."

"Into this building?" Percy asked, disbelieving. "Like you?"

"Yes," said Reyna. "The apartments are excellent. I'm sure you'd be comfortable."

"That's a fantastic offer," said Percy, even though it sounded more like an order. "But...I'm sure I couldn't afford the rent here. These are luxury apartments, aren't they?"

"They are," Reyna said. "But you know that we pay for our employees' expenses, right?"

Percy couldn't believe it. "You'll let me live here rent free?"

"If you become a full timer. Only then."

Percy thought of his crappy apartment in the bad side of town. He wouldn't even have to commute if he lived inside the building. He could pretty much...leave his old life behind, as crazy as it sounded.

He wanted to.

"I'll do it," he told Reyna.

"Good. But that's only if you do well today."

"What's my task?" Percy finally asked.

"You'll be picking something up," Reyna said simply.

"That seems easy enough."

He tried not to notice Reyna smirking, just slightly, before her face regained her passivity. He didn't like how Reyna could switch expressions so fast. It made him uneasy.

"You'll be working with a team," she explained. "So I'm sure they'll tell you more details. But you'll meet them in the basement at one."

"In the afternoon?"

"No, one a.m."

"Really?!"

"Does it look like I'm joking?" Reyna said sharply, and Percy fell silent.

"Sorry, ma'am."

"So you understand then?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good," said Reyna, smiling again. "And one more thing, don't wear a suit. Wear something you can move in."

"Okay. Why?"

"I'm sure they'll tell you more about it. Now, can you go make these copies?"

* * *

It was cold so early in the morning, especially in the basement.

Percy walked down the steps cautiously. The whole place was dim. He was wearing just a black jacket and black pants, since he didn't really have any exercise clothes, if that's what they were doing. Honestly, he still had no idea what on earth he was doing here. He felt like he was going to get lynched. Or quite possibly killed. What kind of job could be done at one in the morning?

Picking something up. Picking what up? A package? A person? A bomb?

A whisper in his ear.

"Hey."

"_Motherfucker!"_

"Goddamn, you jumped like three feet in the air!" the voice said, and Percy spun around angrily to come face to face with a laughing man.

"Don't do that," Percy frowned, his heart still racing.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It was just too easy." The man wiped his eyes, still smiling. He was shorter than Percy and much lankier, his copper hair sticking up in odd places.

"Are you part of the team?" Percy asked suspiciously.

"I am. And you're Percy Jackson," the man said, tapping the diamond pin on Percy's jacket.

"Yep. Um, is it just us?"

"No, there's two others, who should be coming soon. But I'm leading this time. My name's Leo, if you were wondering, which you probably were."

The man talked fast. It almost made Percy's head spin.

"You're bigger than I expected," Leo said, eyeing him. He gripped Percy's bicep. "You seem strong! That's good."

Percy twisted his arm out of his grasp. "What does that even matter?"

"You might get a workout tonight, just saying. It's going to be a busy one for ya."

"What are we even doing? Picking up what?"

"I'll tell you when the others get here," Leo said, but even when they did arrive, he explained nothing.

The rest of the team was another man and a woman, both of which spoke with slight accents, from where Percy couldn't pinpoint. The woman looked almost as young as Will; the other was older but still younger than Percy, stocky and flat footed.

"Hazel and Frank," Leo introduced. "Only the best."

Hazel smiled shyly like she was embarrassed, and Percy couldn't help but feel like she should be in school or at home with her parents. Their faces shone in the artificial lighting.

"Are we ready to go? Okay then."

By the time Leo parked the car, they might have been in the middle of nowhere. Percy got out shakily, the gravel crunching under his feet. The wind picked up his hair and his jacket, sounding softly. The rest of the men climbed out after him, looking towards a warehouse maybe a quarter mile away.

It was dark, very dark. As the wind whistled louder, Percy's heart beat faster.

This was not an office job. This was not even a delivery service, this was something that Percy knew he was not prepared for and had never before encountered.

How did he know that? He wasn't sure.

"Okay men, plan of action," Leo said. "This is an easy job we've got."

Frank frowned. "Ah, come on. Where's the challenge?"

"Well, we've got newbie here!" Leo said cheerfully, clapping Percy on the back. He flinched. "It's his _initiation,_" he said in a stage whisper to Hazel, who nodded like she wanted nothing more but for Leo to be quiet.

"Are you on one, Leo?" Frank smirked, drawing his hood up.

"Maybe just a little." Leo grinned. "Like I said, this'll be a walk in the park."

"You always say that," Hazel said darkly. "Last time…"

"Last time was a fluke," Leo said, shrugging her off.

Percy was tired of their banter, every sentence they said made everything seem ten times crazier.

"What am I doing here?" he said, trying to sound intimidating. "What is this 'initiation?' I want to know. No one has told me anything about anything these past few weeks and frankly, I've just about had it."

They all looked at him, surprised.

"I'm going to need you to calm down," said Leo. "But I understand. You haven't been lied to. You just haven't been told the whole truth." He tilted his head back and inhaled in through his nose heavily, coughing as he erratically scanned the perimeter.

"What's the whole truth?" Percy demanded, hating how Hazel and Frank looked at each other like they pitied him, like he knew nothing. And he supposed he did, but that didn't mean he didn't like it.

"I promise," said Leo firmly, looking into Percy's eyes. His pupils were so blown that they seemed to be two bullet holes in his head, looking straight into the dark forest behind them. "Once you've passed tonight, you'll be told everything. You just need to do this one thing. We're picking up a package today, something very important that we've been cheated out of. Luke won't let it stand, so we're going to show them who's boss."

"Show who? What's the package? I refuse to go in there until you fucking explain."

Percy didn't care if he sounded like an idiot. He couldn't speak clearly now, much less see clearly. His mind was clouded with fear and anger and quite possibly excitement, and it was hard to take. He wanted to grab Leo by the shoulders and shake the smile off his face, to make him _understand. _And Frank and Hazel too, how they stood there passively, as if waiting for Percy to run himself into the ground, maybe tire himself out. Well, he wasn't going to give them that.

"Alright then," said Leo, and for the first time he sounded stern. "See that warehouse over there?" He pointed, and Percy nodded.

"Good. At least you're not blind. That's where Sniper operates, okay? They cheated us in a deal, gave us fake goods. And they thought they could get away with it, like we wouldn't notice. The idiots. That's some kindergarten shit right there."

"What goods?"

Leo smiled again, his eyes crinkling into crescents. "Cocaine. Pure, unadulterated, honest to god, cocaine. Think of an eight ball. This is like… I don't know, an eighty thousand ball."

Percy lurched back, his head spinning. "Holy fuck. You're _drug dealers? _Wait, don't tell me, this is a drug empire or something, oh my gosh, I didn't sign up for this-"

"And yet you stayed, even though you noticed something suspicious," Leo countered. "You've made it this far. You can't turn back now."

"Oh yes I can. There's a big difference between getting coffee and delivering fucking blow!"

"Hmm," Leo mused. "Soon enough, it'll be second nature. Don't worry about it. We've got the boss lured out, so at most there should only be a few guards in there and a bunch of stoned idiots. This is a small job. Nothing, really. It's a very small exchange, compared to what we usually trade. Mostly this is just a pride thing. We've got to threaten them, you know? Make sure they don't do it again. And we might as well take some stuff while we're at it."

He grinned again, like this was all fun and games.

"Threaten them?" Leo repeated. His throat felt dry.

"Oh right," Leo said, and pulled from his jacket a handgun. "This is yours."

Percy didn't take it, but took another step back. "No thank you."

"You're going to want it, trust me," Frank spoke up. "These guys are nothing, but you'll feel safer."

"He's right," Leo agreed. "You probably won't have to use it. Just as a precaution. We're not looking to do any serious damage tonight. These guys are total rookies. It would be kind of sad."

If these smugglers or Sniper or whatever they were called were "rookies", then what were Leo and Frank and Hazel?

Percy looked at the gun in Leo's extended hand, prompting him to take it.

"What motivation do I even have to do this?" Percy asked. "This is insane."

"Well, first of all, we live like fucking gods," Leo said. "As I'm sure you've noticed. You'll never have to want for anything again, as long as you're loyal."

Percy was livid, not looking at him. "But I could still get thrown in jail. Or killed. Is that worth a fancy high rise apartment?"

"Maybe not," Leo admitted, "Maybe not. But you had a lot of times to turn back, to get out while you could. And you didn't. I know you knew something was up. I know you felt it, the _danger_. And yet you're still here, Percy. You're still here. Why is that?"

Percy was bewildered. "I- I don't-"

Why _had_ he stayed?

"This is more than just drugs," said Leo. "This is bigger than you could ever imagine. Believe me when I tell you, _this will change your life. _And for the better."

Percy couldn't say anything but watch, mesmerized, as Leo's eyes glinted sharp in the frail light.

"If you come with us, your life will have purpose. You'll actually be doing something real, you'll be making a mark."

He held out the gun one last time.

"This is your last chance. Take it or leave it. Do you want to live as a nobody?"

His words weighted in his mind, almost sinking.

And before Percy knew what he was doing, he took the gun in his own hands.

"I want to be someone," he said, surprising himself at how firm he sounded.

Leo smiled. "I knew you were a keeper. Let's go, boys."

He cocked his gun and Percy stared at him, holding his own lamely in his hands.

"Oh! I forgot, you wouldn't know. Hazel, help him, would you?"

As Frank and Leo conversed over at the side, Hazel showed Percy how to prep the gun and how to fire. Percy couldn't help it, it still kind of shocked him that Hazel knew so much despite looking so innocent. Just when he started to get the hang of it, he noticed something.

"Hazel, you don't have a gun?"

"Don't need one," Hazel said, smiling slyly.

Percy was about to ask what she meant by that but soon Leo had reconvened them, finally ready to get going.

"The plan's simple," he began. "This place is not heavily guarded, like I said. Frank will stay back in the car. Me and Hazel will approach the compound from the front, really, there's no need for discretion. You can disable the guards but not the leader, whoever he is. I'll take care of him. No need to kill, we want to send a message, not get involved in a petty turf war. These fucks aren't worth our time.

"Meanwhile, Frank will have driven in with the car, right? Then we'll load up all the drugs we can find up in there and get the fuck out. See? So simple. Any questions?"

Percy definitely had questions, a lot of them. This plan definitely didn't seem "simple," especially when Leo spoke as fast as he did.

The most pressing one was: "What am I doing?"

"Oh! Newbie! You're right. This is your task of honor! Just uh...trail behind me and Hazel and try not to get killed. Easy enough, right?"

He smiled yet again, brighter than the moon.

Percy had not missed the number times he had mentioned "kill." So casually. As if it was a walk in the park, a mere choice.

_Do you want to live as nobody?_

Now, he realized, that was the last thing he wanted to do.

In the moment it seemed unimaginable to remain as he was, Percy Jackson in wrinkled dress crammed into an office chair, staring with dead eyes at a computer screen and growing older by the day.

He cocked his gun, appreciating how it cracked in the night air.

"I'm ready."

"That's the spirit!"

They crept towards the warehouse, Percy making more noise than Hazel and Leo combined.

"Be quiet!" hissed Hazel, turning back to frown at him.

"I'm sorry!" Percy whispered. "You're like a fucking ninja!"

Hazel seemed to like that, because she never mentioned Percy's lack of stealthiness again.

As they drew closer, Percy's heart beat faster. He could hear voices now, loud and laughing from inside the warehouse, which was brimming with yellowish light. The gravel dug into the soles of his shoes, and his teeth chattered.

Leo suddenly darted behind a small clump of trees and Percy followed clumsily, trying to copy the way Leo pressed himself to the bark like he was part of the tree. He felt it didn't quite have the same effect, but he couldn't mull over it long. Hazel tapped him on the shoulder and pointed; there, now that they were close to the warehouse doors, tipped ajar, was a solitary lookout.

Leo snorted. "Only one? Hazel, go get him. Wait to go in before we've backed you up. I'll be right on your heels."

Hazel nodded, and before Percy knew it she was halfway to the guard, moving so fast that she was never in one space for more than two seconds. It was disorienting and hard to keep track of, so the guard didn't even notice Hazel until she was right behind him, breathing down his neck.

Hazel tapped the man on the shoulder, who spun around abruptly, but by then it was too late. With three fingers Hazel pinched a spot near the back of the man's neck, and he collapsed, rolling down to rest, completely out, Hazel's feet.

She smiled and gave a thumbs up.

"How did she _do _that?" Percy spluttered, but Leo just laughed.

"Come on, newbie, that's our cue. Look alive."

With that he promptly charged towards the waiting doorway.

Percy had no choice to sprint after him, trying to keep his gun steady in his shaking hands. It might have occurred to him that he could very well be running to his death, but in the moment, he didn't think about it.

As they rounded the corner and burst through the doorway there was so much noise Percy's ears ached from sheer volume and confusion. The men inside were yelling, Leo fired shots into air and into the crowd as Hazel pushed Percy forward, telling him that if he didn't move he was going to be left unprotected.

There were only about ten men inside, and Percy immediately looked past them towards the target: a small mountain of rolled packages. The pile of drugs.

Half the men were high, he could tell, and Leo hissed out of the side of his mouth. "This is no fun!"

To his left, Hazel jumped in the air and kicked someone hard in the face, to his right Leo knocked another one out with the butt of his gun. And in the center Percy held back, hands clenched on the trigger, hoping that no one came at him.

"What are you doing?" Leo yelled. "Help us out!"

Percy nodded, but in actuality had no clue how on earth he was supposed to assist. Hazel and Leo seemed to be doing fine on their own, taking men down almost faster than Percy could keep track of. So he felt like the most helpful thing he could do was to stay out of their way.

As the dust cleared he was prodded forward and towards the stack, leaving the heap of groaning men behind them. Leo rushed up first, but dropped to the ground as a bullet ripped through the air from seemingly nowhere. If he hadn't moved, Percy thought, the bullet would have shot clean through his head.

"He's behind the pile!" Hazel yelled.

Leo jumped to his feet. "Hey, bastard! You couldn't even meet us face to face?"

Another bullet rang through the air, but Hazel easily side stepped, expecting it.

"You let your boys take the fight for you?" Leo shook his head. "How pathetic. Now come out here before I blow your brains out."

He trained his gun on the man who slowly emerged from behind the mountain, hands up and empty. Leo laughed.

"I'm sure you know who we are."

"The Company," spat the man.

"Right," Leo said smoothly. "Then you know why we're here."

The man smiled crookedly. "Yes, you came to pick on the weaker man."

"Maybe so. The Company doesn't take kindly to cheaters, you know. We couldn't just let something like this stand. Got to send a message. Now, are you going to stand down or are we going to have to kill you?"

The man smirked. "I know you won't. You can't. It's not your orders."

"I make my own orders."

"Funny how I know you don't, puppet. I've watched Luke pull all your strings tighter, that monster-"

"What did you say about my boss?" Leo growled, grabbing the man roughly by the collar, the tips of his shoes dragging on the ground. "I dare you to repeat that."

"There's no use," said the man. "It's already too late. I feel sorry for you."

For a moment Leo's face was blank, but then he blinked and washed it away.

"Feel sorry for yourself."

He kneed the man hard in the groin and stomach and sent him spiraling to the dirty floor, groaning.

"Watch what you say about the Company," he said, wiping off his hands. "And if you ever pull something like this again, I'm sure you know what my orders _will _be."

Hazel looked uncomfortable as Leo stood there, panting, his eyes unfocused. In the silence Frank drove into the building, yelling at them to hurry the fuck up, what were they waiting for?

"Um...Leo?" Hazel asked tentatively.

Leo snapped out of it. "Don't just stand there, guys, let's get this shit loaded up."

He smiled and pulled out a knife, tearing a gash in the plastic wrapping. White powder trickled out, onto his finger. He brought it to his tongue, and shivered.

"This is low grade. Not only do they cheat us, they give us low-quality products. Our name can't resell something like this. This shit is half baking soda. Piece of crap."

"We can't just leave it here," Hazel pointed out. "We came here to make a point, right? Sell it through another vendor."

"Or I can just use it all myself," Leo said, smiling, as he hoisted a package up from the pile. "You know I'm not picky."

Hazel smirked and grabbed a pack herself, and Percy followed suit. Within a few trips they had loaded the car trunk to the brim.

"You couldn't have helped?" Leo asked Frank when they got into the car.

"No, too much physical exertion," said Frank airily, examining his nails.

"That's your _job,_" Leo groaned. "Next time you should just go join the prostitutes."

"Nah, that's Piper's job, not mine. Are you good, Hazel?" Frank asked, turning around in the driver's seat to face her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Hazel said, blushing a little. "You worry too much."

"Not enough, sometimes," Frank added darkly. "What about you, Percy? How was your first go?"

"Start the car before these guys get their brains back," Leo reminded him.

Frank rolled his eyes and backed out of the warehouse, hitting the road only a few seconds later.

"I..."

Percy didn't know what to say.

There was so much adrenaline pumping through his body that it was hard to describe the feeling. It was more than excitement, mixed with fear, it was all his senses alive and feeling. He hadn't even _done _anything, and yet…

"I feel _fantastic_," he said, and he didn't know what made him say it.

Suddenly, it became all kinds of true.

They all laughed, but Leo loudest of all, flicking a lighter over a pile of cocaine on the dashboard before attacking it with a razor blade. Carefully, he cut out four neat lines.

"Welcome to the team, Percy. Whatcha say we go out and celebrate?"


End file.
